Wood-steaming apparatus



(No Model.)

L. REED.

WOOD STEAMING APPARATUS. No. 308,701. Patented Dec. 2,1884.

WITNESSES NITED STATES LOUIS REED, OF DETROIT, llIIOHIGAN.

WOOD-STEAMING APPARATUS.

EEPECIEICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 308,701, datedDecember 2, 1884.

Application filed November 30, 1883.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS REED, of Detroit, in the county of Wayne andState of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement inVVood-Steaming Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates especially to the steamvats employed by coopers forsteaming hoopstutf and stave-bolts, &c. As the material is put into thevats or chambers where it is to be steamed it should be piled up in anorderly manner, with its ends toward the doors. Itis very desirable thatthe entering currents or jets of steam should be directed against theends of the pieces of wood, so that it may be forced through the pilesin line with the pieces, and so more perfectly circulate in contact withevery part of the wood, as well as to be forced into its pores byimpinging against their ends. If the steam-pipe is introduced into thechamber midway between the I ends thereof, the work is impaired and theoperation much slower. If the doors are at one end only, these steamingvats or boxes being generally in rows side by side and in tiers of twochambers, the men in simultaneously filling some chambers and emptyingothers will be in one anothers way. To avoid these difficulties Iintroduce the steam-pipes at one end, and so direct them as to dischargethe steam directly against the ends of the pieces to be treated and inline with the boardsor bolts; and in order that I may have a door ateach end I place the vertical steam-pipes at one side of the end betweenthe rows of boxes and con nect them with the interiorof the chambers byflexible goose-neck pipes, which maybe turned to throw the steam againstthe ends of the wood when the steamer is in operation, or may be turnedto one side to be out the way when the doors are open and the boxes arebeing filled.

In the annexed drawings, making part of this specification, Figure 1 isa vertical longitudinal section of the chamber, showing the pipes inelevation. Fig. 2 is a front view showing one of the tiers of chambers,and Fig. 3 a horizontal section and elevation of the main and branchsteam-pipes.

(No model.)

The same letters are employed in all the figures in the indication ofidentical parts.

A is the chamber or box in which the stu f to be treated is placed, andto which access is given at each end by means of swinging or slidingdoors A A". These chambers are represented as arranged in tiers and inrows; but as they are all alike only one need be described.

B is a steam-pipe placed between the ends of the respective rows, andhaving branch pipes O D, with steam throttle-valves, by

which the steam may be introduced into the chamber at the side of thedoor A. These branch pipes, of which there may be as many as desired,though I have found two sufficient, connect with goose-neck pipes G D,swiveling upon their joints in such manner that when the door is openedthey may be swung out of the way, so. as to give access to the interior;or they may be turned so as to direct the emergent jets of steamdirectly against the ends of the pieces to be treated. means I am ableto combine the advantages of the end delivery of the steam and of havingfree access to the interior of the box from either end, which have notbeen attained in any wood-steaming apparatus with which I am acquainted.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination, in an apparatus for steaming wood, of the chamber orbox A, with doors A A at each end, and adjustable flexible steam-pipes,the free ends of which may be shifted to give alternately free access tothe interior of the chamber through the door A and to direct theemergent jets of steam against the ends of the pieces to be treated,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twoattesting witncsses.

LOUIS REED.

In presence of- R. Mason, CHARLES K. LATHAM.

By this,

